Propulsion of ships.



vE- COURT.

PROPULSION 0F SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED APRI26, |915.

PROPULSION F SHIPS.

inertes.

I To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, EDWARD COURT, a sub ject of the King ofGrreat Britain and Ireland, residing at Wakefield, in the county of York, England', have invented new and useful Improvements in or Relating to the Propulsion of Ships, of which the following is a specification.

rllhis invention vrelates to the propulsion of ships, more especially of the type in which a propeller sha or pair of suc shafts, extending from stern 'to stem of the ship and carrying at intervals a series of propellers, is or are inclosed within an' openended keel tube or channel, or pair of such kfl 'tubes or channels, likewise extending from stern to stem of the ship. v

My invention consists inthe hereinafter described improvements in this type of pro-l pelling device, characterized by the series of inclosed or internal propellers being employed in combination with and auxiliary to the usual external propellers at stern and stem, and by the keel tube or propeller tube being of an enlarged diameter from the engine room to the stern ofthe ship, whereby theeil'ective area of the tube is maintained' as it passes beneath and beside the lower part of the engine room, while at the same time permitting of larger auxiliary propellers being fitted on the rear part lof the shaft, and further characterized by the employment, a-t each end of the keel tube or 'tion and repairs in case of a watertight external propeller tube,

(controlled by wheel,

sliding plug or cap screw, and lever mechanism) forfacilitating the pumping out of fthe tube for inspecof -breakdown 'or injury .to the shaft or prpellers.

Description of -aloa'ramngs.-Figure 1 is a side elevationillustrating the application of my invention to a ship having twin propeller shafts. Eig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan of Fig. 1. Y

According to my said invention the propeller tube or tubes A is or are extended from stern to stem of the veel, forming a keel tube or tubes open at both ends, and

with the propeller shaft or shafts B likewise extending from stern to stem. Each shaft B is fitted with the usual external main pro peller C at the stern, and with a series of auxiliary propellers D within the keel tube. For instance one auxiliary propeller may be fitted near the stemof the vessel, another t coun'r, or WAKEFIELD, ENGLAND. i

Specification of Letters Iatent.

- gine room N 7 Patented Nov, llllll.

Application led April 26, 1915. Serial No. 23,876.

near the stern, and one or more.V at suitable intermediate points, live of these internal auxiliary propellers D being shown in the example illustrated. Each shaft is also itted wlth an external propeller E at the s m.

Each shaft B is supported on vsuitable f thrust blocks F between each pair of propellers, the keel tube or propeller tube A having la series of suitably placed watertlght lmanholes G for inspection ,of the thrust blocks and also for access to the propellers and shaft when desired. A suitable grid H is also fitted toward one'or both ends of the keell tube orpropeller tube A.

Means are provided, comp-rising an' lexternal sliding plug or cap I controlled by a forked lever J actuated b-y wheel K and ing each end of the tube A in case of breakdown or injury to the shaft or propellers, thus enabling the keel tube or propeller tube A to be pumped out for the necessary inspection and repairs. For this purpose' a branch pipe or pipes M may be fitted behind the ordinary Kingston valve or-seacock and connected to the keel tube or propeller tube A, so that (therseacock being first closed) the pumps can draw directfrom the tube or tubes A and thus (assisted by bilge'and auxiliary pumps) facilitate the operation of emptying the tube or tubes, the engineer being notified when the emptying operation is completed by the immediate fall of the vacuum on the gage. The tube or tubes A when empty will serve as a means of increasing the buoyancy of the ship.

The keel tube or propeller tube A is of uniform diameter from the stem to the en- `amidships, from which point the tube is enlarged toward the 'stern of the ship, thus obtaining, in a cavity O beneath and beside the lower part of the engine room, the full area of the Lsmaller or forward end of the tube, and at the same time giving a quicker release and ermtting of larger auxiliary propellers being employed from the engine rooml to the stern of the ship.

The keel tubes or propeller tubes as hereinbefore describedalso tend to strengthen and stillen the ship, and at the same time to distribute the driving strain throughout the len th of the' ship, and to steady the vessel an 'maintain it on an even keel, especially no screw L from the deck or elsewhere, for closin heavy seas. The speed is also increased, fuel and power economized, and racing of the propeller shaftor shafts is prevented.

l claim:

1. Ship propelling devices comprising, in combination, an open-ended keel tube extending yfrom stern to stem and being of an enlarged diameter from engine room to stern, a propeller shaft mounted in bearings within said tube and likewise extending from stern to stem, external main propellers at stern and stem upon said shaft, a of internal auxiliary propellers upon said shaft within the narrower forward end of said tube, and a yseries of larger internal auxiliary propellers upon said shaft within the wider stern end of said tube, substantially as herein set forth.

2. Ship propelling devices comprising, in combination, an open-ended keel tube extending from stern to stem and being of an enlarged diameter from engine room to stern, a propeller shaft mounted in bearings within said tube and likewise extending from stern to ste-m, external main propellers at stern and stem upon said shaft, a seri of internal auxiliary propellers upon said shaft within the narrower forward end of said tube, a series of larger internal auxiliary propellers upon said shaft within the wider stern end of said tube, watertight external sliding plugs slidable on said shaft for closing the ends ofsaid tube, and screw and lever devices for controlling said sliding plugs, substantially as herein set forth.

EDWARD COURT. 

